Bill Exceeds Mandatory Budget Caps and Congress Must Continue to Negotiate Way Forward
The House of Representatives passed an FY18 omnibus appropriations bill, a 12-bill package that includes $510 billion for non-defense discretionary spending and $621 billion for defense spending. While the bill would sustain funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service and all its programs at current FY17 levels, the omnibus violates the topline spending caps set by Congress in 2011.
Though Congress has until December 8, 2017, to put in place a longer-term spending fix for the remainder of FY18, the House and Senate are not aligned on funding levels for individual programs or how to address the overall budget caps. As a result, the next three months will be a critical period of continued negotiation. We must continue to urge Congress to protect funding for national service programs.